Wednesday, August 04, 1999REDS NOTEBOOK
Reese may be back Thursday
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati EnquirerTrainer Greg Lynn said second baseman Pokey Reese is “close” to rejoining to the lineup, estimating that a Thursday return is possible.
Reese missed his seventh consecutive start since Los Angeles' Ismael Valdes opened a July 26 game by hitting him on the left hand, causing a deep and nagging bruise.
Lynn said Tuesday that Reese “really doesn't have that much swelling” in his wrist, though some pain lingered. Lynn said Reese tried swinging a bat and was expected to start trying to hit “soft-toss” lobs or off a tee.
Lynn added that Reese probably will wear some sort of protective pad at bat and in the field.
Hearty Harnisch
In another gutty performance, Pete Harnisch allowed one run and five hits in seven innings, his longest outing since he lasted seven innings at New York on June 1 — 11 starts ago. The start after that was when he left after 1 2/3 innings at Kansas City, the first time he revealed his shoulder trouble.“I thought he had better stuff than he had had in a long time,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said.
Harnisch said his shoulder felt better this time, but even that was relative.
“Will it get better to where I feel no pain the rest of the year? No,” he said. “But there was a stretch where it was really, really bad. I was questioning whether I should be going out there.”
Harnisch escaped a first-and-third, one-out jam in the second inning and nearly survived an identical jam in the third by striking out Larry Walker, who was hitting .421 (16-for-38) off him at the time. But Dante Bichette hit an RBI single on a 1-2 pitch.
“He's probably the guy who gives me the most trouble in the league,” Harnisch said of Walker, the NL's leading hitter (.362). “You don't even think about striking out Larry Walker right there. You're just trying to keep the inning small.”
Williamson's mark
One of the most noteworthy aspects of Scott Williamson's performance Tuesday night was the Cinergy Field crowd, which roared with unusual gusto as he struck out Terry Shumpert and Henry Blanco to strand Brian McRae at third base.“I had a lot of adrenaline going,” Williamson said. “I almost sailed one of the fastballs I threw to Blanco away.”
Establishing the franchise record for victories by a rookie reliever left less of an impression on Williamson, who has two wins and four saves in his last seven outings.
“That'll probably mean more at the end of the year,” he said. “I'll worry about the awards and records at the end of the year, like all the rest of the guys on this team, I'm sure.”
Etc.
Right-hander Jason Bere, recovering from elbow inflammation, pitched 4ö innings of relief Monday night in his fifth injury-rehabilitation appearance for Triple-A Indianapolis, yielding five runs and seven hits while walking three and striking out two against Richmond. Indy lost 13-1.• Tonight's starting time has been moved to 7:37 to accommodate ESPN's telecast.
• Continuing his comeback from shoulder surgery, right-hander Scott Winchester will begin an injury rehabilitation stint with Single-A Rockford on Sunday.
Up next
Left-hander Denny Neagle will make his second appearance since leaving the disabled list as the Reds continue their series against Colorado tonight.Neagle (1-3, 7.55 ERA) earned his first victory of the year Friday against San Francisco. Colorado will counter with right-hander Darryl Kile (6-10, 6.10).
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